Southcentral Region Department of Fish and Game Fishing in the Cordova Area About Cordova Cordova is a small commercial fishing town (pop. 2,500) on the southeastern side of Prince William Sound, 52 air miles southeast of Valdez and 150 air miles southeast of Anchorage. The town can be reached only by air or by ferries. Check the Alaska Marine Highway website for more informa- tion about the ferries: www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs Alaska Natives originally settled the area around the Copper River Delta. The town of Cordova changed its name from Puerto Cordova in 1906 when the railroad was built to move copper ore. Commercial fishing has been a major industry The Scott River for Cordova since the 1940s, so please be careful around their boats and nets. The Division of Commercial Hotels, fishing charters, camping Fisheries offers a wealth of information on their website, For information about fishing charters, accommoda- including in-season harvest information at www.adfg. tions and other services in Cordova, contact the Chamber alaska.gov . of Commerce and Visitor’s Center at P.O. Box 99, Cordova, Bears are numerous in the Cordova area and anglers Alaska, 99574, (907) 424-7260 or cordovachamber.com. The should use caution when fishing salmon spawning areas. City of Cordova also runs an excellent website at www. Check the ADF&G website for the “Bear Facts” brochure, cityofcordova.net . or request one from the ADF&G Anchorage regional of- fice. Anglers who fillet fish along a river are encouraged to chop up the fish carcass and throw the pieces into fast Management of Alaska’s flowing water. sport fisheries The Cordova area can be very rainy. Waterproof gear The Division of Sport Fish is charged with the manage- and changes of clothing are strongly recommended. July ment of Alaska’s sport fisheries under the sustained yield and August are the warmest months, with temperatures principle, through regulations and management plans ad- ranging 60-65 degrees F. August and September are the opted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Enforcement of fish- rainiest months, with 9-13 inches of precipitation each ing regulations is primarily the responsibility of the Alaska month. There’s a telephone recorded weather forecast at Dept. of Public Safety, State Troopers’ Bureau of Wildlife (907) 424-3333. Enforcement. Management of Prince William Sound and Cordova area fisheries is divided between the Anchorage and Cordova offices. Forest Service officials also act as enforce- ment agents in the Cordova area. Division of Sport fish Anchorage, Alaska Alaganik Slough At times the Division issues in-season regulatory changes, are sold, and posted on the ADF&G Division of Sport Fish called Emergency Orders, primarily in response to under- or home page at www.adfg.alaska.gov. Be sure your have your over-abundance of fish. Emergency Orders are sent to radio sport fishing license or ADF&G Permanent ID Card in your stations, newspapers, and television stations, and posted on possession. Also, anglers need to purchase a king salmon our web site at www.adfg.alaska.gov . stamp to fish for king salmon (exceptions are listed in the We also maintain hot line recording at (907) 267-2516 regulation booklet). Anchorage, or (907) 424-7535 Cordova. Or you can contact On the Copper River road system, bait can not be used the Anchorage Sport Fish Information Center at (907) 267- once you have caught your limit of coho salmon. A coho 2218 or the Cordova Sport Fish office at (907) 424-3212. salmon that is removed from the water must be retained and becomes part of the daily bag limit of the person who Fishing regulations originally hooked the fish. Regulations are often different for each water you fish. Please read the Prince William Sound section of the South- Licenses and stamps can be purchased at most grocery central Alaska regulation booklet before heading out to fish. stores and tackle shops or on-line at www.adfg.alaska.gov/ Regulation booklets are available wherever fishing licenses Store/ . The Alaska Department of Fish and Game administers all programs and activities free from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or disability. The department administers all programs and activities in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you desire further information These opportunities please write to ADF&G, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Drive, funded in part by Federal Suite 300 Webb, Arlington, VA 22203; or O.E.O., U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington DC 20240. Aid in Sport Fish and Wild- For information on alternative formats for this and other department publications, please contact the department ADA life Restoration. Coordinator at (voice) 907-465-6077, (TDD) 907-465-3646, or (FAX) 907-465-6078. Fish Identification Catch & Release Silver salmon or king salmon? Pelagic rockfish or non- There are restrictions on the landing and the catch-and- pelagic rockfish? You’ll find a fish identification guide in release of certain fish — read the regulations before heading the Southcentral Alaska regulation booklet. out to fish. Released fish have the best chance of survival when the following simple guidelines are followed: “Party” Fishing • Use strong tackle and heavy line to land the fish quickly. Party fishing, such as when anglers “pool” their harvest to achieve a “boat limit,” is illegal. A fish belongs to the • Do not handle the fish by its gills or the gill plates. person who originally hooked it. Under Alaska law, once • Keep the fish in the water, od not boat or land the fish. your daily bag limit is reached, you cannot harvest more For some species, this is a regulation. fish “for the boat.” • Handle the fish gently. Only under certain conditions can anglers can give • Back the hook out. someone their fish, and sport-caught fish can never be • Cut your line if the fish is deeply hooked sold, bartered or traded. Check the regulation booklet for the rules on giving away fish. Once an angler gives away • Move the fish back and forth until it is revived and swims his/her bag limit, he/she may not harvest additional fish away. of that species on the same day. Red (sockeye) salmon Small runs of red salmon are available in the Sound during most of the summer, and reds are the first salmon to return Fresh Waters to Cordova streams. Juvenile red salmon may spend up to Cordova’s road system consists of a roughly 37-mile four years rearing in freshwater lakes before becoming smolt stretch of dirt and gravel road from town heading toward and moving out to sea. Once at sea, they reach 4 to 12 pounds the “Million Dollar Bridge,” which crosses the Copper after one to four years. River at Miles Lake. Productive red (sockeye) salmon, Good numbers of adult reds begin returning to Eyak silver (coho) salmon, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, River in late May and early June, and various later runs in and Dolly Varden char freshwater streams such as Clear the Eyak provide red salmon through August. Reds return Creek, Ibeck Creek, and the Eyak River are easily acces- to Alaganik Slough, McKinley Lake area, and Clear Creek sible from this road. from mid-June through early July, with the peak of the run Most of the fresh waters of Prince William Sound occurring in late June. Anglers can fish from both shore and and the Cordova area are open the entire year to salmon boats in Alaganik Slough. Boats can be launched at points fishing. There are a few closed waters, so please check along the road that parallels the slough, as well as a U.S. the current regulation booklet carefully before heading Forest Service boat ramp. out to fish. Saltwater Fishing The marine waters of Orca Inlet, Simpson Bay and Sheep Bay also provide opportunity for king (Chinook) salmon, silver salmon, and red salmon. Halibut, rockfish and lingcod can also be found as close as Spike Island, located just outside the boat harbor, and along the coast- lines of the numerous islands in eastern Prince William Sound. A stout fishing rod and jigs or cut herring are the best choices for tackle. Although Prince William Sound is closed to all crab fishing, it is open to shrimping. Razor clams are also avail- able, as well as a wide variety of hardshell clams such as littleneck and butter clams. For PSP advisories, contact the Department of Environmental Conservation at (907) 269-7640 or on the web at http://dec.alaska.gov/ . Power Creek Tackle These fish are perfect for medium-action spinning SPECIAL SILVER SALMON BAG LIMITS gear, or 8- 9-wt. fly rods. Because reds are not aggressive NEAR CORDOVA biters, size 2-6 streamer flies such as the Mickey Finn Stocked as smolt by Prince William Sound Aquaculture or the Russian River Coho have proven to be the most Association, silver salmon returns to the Fleming Spit area productive technique for catching red salmon, even for have become very popular. those with spin casting rods. In fresh water, reds tend to Marine waters north of a line from Odiak Slough to Stump hug the shore, so save your 50-yard casts for surf fishing.